On Sat 14th July, members of Regent Brass participated in the Log Book concert in Margate, as part of “The Boat Project”.
“The Boat Project is a living archive of people’s stories and lives, a 30ft vessel made from donated wooden items. From February to July 2011 the public donated their wood to the project but not just any old wood. Pencil or piano – exotic as Zebrawood or as familiar as pine every piece had a story behind it. Donations arrived in their thousands, from the highly personal to pieces of national importance. All of these donations have now been used to build a state-of-the-art seafaring yacht named Collective Spirit.” (www.theboatproject.com)
For the boats’ visit to Margate, a song was commissioned by singer/songwriter Megan Henwood to mark the occasion, which was drawn from the stories of the Margate wood donors. In the concert, the Regent Brass 10-piece performed alongside the Big Sing choir and Megan to give a performance of the song “Collective Spirit” to an appreciative audience. The combined forces were conducted by Big Sing Choir conductor Em Peasgood, who also put the arrangement together for the event.
In addition, the 10-piece performed “Fanfare and Flourishes” by James Curnow and “Fantasia on British Sea Songs” to the crowd to help get them into the nautical spirit!”
